Chapter 47

This chapter consists entirely of endnotes and citations supporting the main narrative about Franklin's life in France, his relationships with French women including Madame Brillon and Madame Helvétius, his literary compositions, and his correspondence with family members in America.

These are the source citations and scholarly references for the chapter's discussion of Franklin's social and romantic involvements during his time in France (1778–1783). The notes document Franklin's flirtations with Madame Brillon through letters and chess games, his courtship of Madame Helvétius, and his composition of witty bagatelles and allegorical pieces such as "The Ephemera," "The Elysian Fields," "The Flies," and "Dialogue with the Gout." They cite correspondence with his grandson Temple and younger grandson Benny, reference Voltaire's alleged blessing, and trace debates among biographers about the extent and nature of Franklin's romantic pursuits. The notes also document Franklin's correspondence with his daughter Sally and son-in-law Richard Bache concerning family matters and financial hardships during the war, his mentoring of his grandson Benjamin Bache, and his authorship of essays on chess morals, daylight saving time, and other satirical works. Sources include Franklin's own papers at Yale and the American Philosophical Society, letters from Madame Brillon and Madame Helvétius, Adams's diaries, and modern scholarly assessments by Lopez, Aldridge, Middlekauff, and McCullough.